Lady Gaga Wins Born This Way Plagiarism Case

Lady Gaga has, according to reports, won the court case accusing her of stealing images for her album Born This Way.

This court case was due to the French artist, Orlan, asking for 7.5% royalties of the eight million sales of Gaga’s album. While 7.5% is low, that is still a huge chunk of change given the success of Born This Way. The total Orlan was asking for was $31.7 million.

The case was arguing that Lady Gaga had stolen concepts from two sculptures, included a piece called Bumpload and Woman with Head. They claimed that not only had these been copied on the album artwork, but in a music video for the Born This Way single where severed heads appear on a table.

The Bumpload copying accusation was referencing how Gaga’s face was altered with prosthetics to create ridges on the cheeks and forehead.

Interestingly, the case also considered Lady Gaga’s reading of The Manifesto of Mother Monster as a reference to Orlan’s Manifeste de l’art charnel.

However, the ruling from the court found that an artistic installation can’t be reduced solely to it’s physical elements. They also ruled that Orlan must pay both Gaga and her record label 10,000 euros (£8,390) each.

It isn’t over yet, though, as Orlan will be appealing the decision.

“Nothing has played itself out, since I have filed an appeal,” she said.